Switchgear for high voltages/current strengths will most often include one or more operating devices and one or more circuit breakers each connected to busbars. The operating devices for operating the circuit breakers are connected to the switchgear and must be dimensioned to manage the maximum load when the current supply is broken. To this end, each operating device is provided with a very powerful spring or with powerful mutually coacting springs, wherein the spring force/spring forces have been dimensioned to manage this seldomly occurring maximum load. It is necessary to adapt the mechanical structural components of the operating device to the largest active spring and circuit-breaking forces, so as to prevent damage to the operating device. The operating device in also subjected to high stresses even when making or breaking a current circuit in the absence of a maximum load, since large spring forces must be balanced in the operating device, these stresses being liable to result in damage to the mechanical components. A damaged operating device must either be replaced or repaired. In such cases, it is necessary to manoeuver a circuit breaker (fixedly) connected to the operating device to an off-position and take the circuit breaker out of operation, meaning that the current supply must either be switched off or rearranged. If the circuit breaker cannot be manoeuvered to an off position, it is necessary to open a parent circuit breaker, which entails still greater disturbance in operation.